


The Way to a Man's Heart

by ladyjax



Category: Leverage
Genre: Character of Color, Community: comment_fic, Food, M/M, Pre-ship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-19
Updated: 2011-04-19
Packaged: 2017-10-18 09:11:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyjax/pseuds/ladyjax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the Comment Fic community on LJ in 2009.  Prompt: Leverage, Eliot/any, Like Water for Chocolate (in this movie, a talented cook's food has magical powers over the people who eat it)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Way to a Man's Heart

It was Eliot's mama who told him about the magic.

"What you put into the food is what people will feel." The first time he ever had evidence of this was at his granny's wake. He made her favorite Chess pie and set it out just as the other mourners were leaving. It was only him, his folks and a few other aunts, uncles and cousins. 

When his aunt Louella took the first bite, her eyes closed and for a moment Eliot thought he'd failed. Then a tear slipped from her eye and she said, "Tastes just like Nessa made it. You done good." The rest of the evening passed gently, tinged with bittersweet but lovely memories. It was the last time Eliot's family was together.

He honed his cooking skills as much as he developed his skills with his fists. A delicately sliced fillet might temporarily stay the hand of a mob boss while a decadent chocolate souffle would ease Eliot's way into the bed of an heiress whose husband was wanted by said mob boss. 

Eliot didn't abuse his gift but when he really wanted something for himself? Far be it from him to not bring everything to bear in order to influence the outcome. Be a shame to waste what he could do.

At least that's what he told himself as he watched Hardison savor the slice of almond cake that Eliot had wanted him to taste. "This," the hacker pointed his fork at the forlorn end of his slice. "Tastes like sin, man. Pure sin."

Eliot smiled over his coffee cup and said softly, "Do tell."


End file.
